Clozapine (sold as Clozaril®, Leponex®, Fazaclo®) was the first of the atypical antipsychotics to be developed. It was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1989 and is the only FDA-approved medication indicated for treatment-resistant schizophrenia and for reducing the risk of suicidal behaviour in patients with schizophrenia.

History and main uses

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Clozapine was developed by Sandoz in 1961, and introduced in Europe ten years later. In 1975, after reports of agranulocytosis leading to death in some clozapine-treated patients, Clozapine was voluntarily withdrawn by the manufacturer. Clozapine fell out of favor for more than a decade. However, when studies demonstrated that clozapine was more effective against treatment-resistant schizophrenia than other antipsychotics, the FDA and health authorities in most other countries approved its use only for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, and required regular haematological monitoring to detect granulocytopenia, before agranulocytosis develops. In December of 2002, Clozapine was also approved for reducing the risk of suicide in schizophrenic or schizoaffective patients judged to be at chronic risk for suicidal behavior.

Commonly approved indications

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• Treatment-resistant schizophrenia, if the required hematologic monitoring is adhered to
• Reducing the risk of suicide in schizophrenic or schizoaffective patients judged to belong to a high risk group with chronic risk for suicidal behavior. Clozapine was shown to prolong the time to suicidal attempt significantly greater than Olanzapine (Zyprexa®).

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How to manage clozapine Use and Side effects http://t.co/vVmWd0xP
MHManura (Dr Nanayakkara) Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:43:27 -0000
How to manage clozapine Use and Side effects http://t.co/vVmWd0xP
What is Clozaril? http://t.co/cZDQPsws
njnuwantha (Dr Nuwan Nanayakkara) Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:59:16 -0000
What is Clozaril? http://t.co/cZDQPsws
RT @psychepi: increasing evidence that bed-wetting underrecognised as side-effect of second-generation antipsychotics esp. clozapine http://t.co/6meEALXS
AlisonFairleigh (Alison Fairleigh) Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:13:34 -0000
RT @psychepi: increasing evidence that bed-wetting underrecognised as side-effect of second-generation antipsychotics esp. clozapine http://t.co/6meEALXS
RT @psychepi: increasing evidence that bed-wetting underrecognised as side-effect of second-generation antipsychotics esp. clozapine http://t.co/6meEALXS
thinkshrink (David Bransford MD) Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:04:54 -0000
RT @psychepi: increasing evidence that bed-wetting underrecognised as side-effect of second-generation antipsychotics esp. clozapine http://t.co/6meEALXS
increasing evidence that bed-wetting underrecognised as side-effect of second-generation antipsychotics esp. clozapine http://t.co/6meEALXS
psychepi (Melissa Raven) Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:03:39 -0000
increasing evidence that bed-wetting underrecognised as side-effect of second-generation antipsychotics esp. clozapine http://t.co/6meEALXS
How to manage clozapine side effects http://t.co/xCe13wH0
bodymindquest (Manura Nanayakkara) Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:40:16 -0000
How to manage clozapine side effects http://t.co/xCe13wH0

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